Today is July 27, 2026 /
Today is July 27, 2026 /
One of my favorite teachings on Hanukkah comes from Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of Barditshov, known as the Kedushas Levi. Here is a very abridged version. Unlike the Exodus from Egypt, which God in His great mercy performed without arousal from below, in the case of Hanukkah there was some help from below, in that the Continue Reading »
In our library, we have many books about Jewish prayer. Some are about the history of prayers – who wrote them and when they became part of the Jewish prayer book. Some are meant to reveal the deeper meanings of Jewish prayers and what secrets are encoded in the Hebrew words. Some focus on what Continue Reading »
The intense hours of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are behind us; days are cooler, evenings come earlier. Sukkot arrives and leads us to the door — to dwell outside, in a makeshift home, with a roof so flimsy it might easily blow away. Exposed to the elements, outside of our daily comfort zones, we Continue Reading »
I have a new hero, and it’s a bit embarrassing. Embarrassing to admit that I’ve studied and taught this character for decades and always assumed he was the anti-hero, the person we shouldn’t become, the epitome of someone who was impelled by a mistaken zeal to lead a mistaken life. My anti-hero has become heroic. Continue Reading »
When I heard her compliment, I said to myself, incredulously: “Me?! If she really knew me, she wouldn’t have said that.” And just like that －I became a grasshopper. According to the midrash, the spies returned from checking out the Land of Israel on the 9th of Av. Standing in front of the nation, they argued against entering Continue Reading »
At Ayeka, we believe that Jewish education must be broadened to engage the whole student in his or her uniqueness: mind, body, heart, and imagination. Only when students personally connect with the material will they find it truly meaningful. We partner with six day schools of different denominations across the country to train teachers in our Continue Reading »
I’ve always loved the 49-day countdown (count-Up, really) to Shavuot. The building anticipation towards Matan Torah, eagerly breathing in the blooms adorning homes and synagogues, Yom Tov tastebuds rewarded with blintzes and cheesecake, staying up ‘til first light awaiting the arrival of the Torah. Up until this year, the CountUp has reminded me of the Continue Reading »
An educational consultant recently told me that teachers often teach what they feel most comfortable teaching, and not necessarily what their students need to learn. I know I was guilty of this for many years, though I always rationalized to myself that what I was doing was for the well-being of my students. I think Continue Reading »
